Long distance trains not coming into Britomart

Long distance trains from Wellington to Auckland will stop about a kilometre short of the Britomart. Photo / Greg Bowker

Long distance trains from Wellington to Auckland will stop about a kilometre short of the Britomart underground station from December 21.

KiwiRail has confirmed setting up a terminal for its Northern Explorer trains at the largely disused Strand surface railway station, from where commuters used to have to trundle before Britomart opened in 2003.

That is upsetting the Public Transport Users' Association, which says the industrialised environment of the Strand will not be "a good look for tourists and their first impression of Auckland."

The Government rail company's head of customer engagement and scenic journeys, Gavin Rutherford, said this afternoon it was making the move before major changes to Britomart for Auckland's $2.5 billion underground rail extension.

"The Auckland Metro network is undergoing significant development which may well include changes for train services using Britomart," he said.

"Therefore KiwiRail has taken the opportunity to set up our own purpose-built facilitiy at the Strand."

Mr Rutherford said KiwiRail would run a shuttle coach from Britomart to the Strand for passengers not arriving at the new departure point under their own steam for the thrice-weekly day-long service to Wellington.

Public Transport Users' Association coordinator Jon Reeves said the Strand was an "extremely inconvenient" location and he feared it would jeopardise the survival of the North Island's sole remaining long-distance passenger rail service.